If Not Now When
by Jade-k
Summary: Alec decides to pack up and leave. How will the others react, especially Max? MA I know it has been forever since an update. Sorry.
1. Another day in Paradise?

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way:D  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec's had enough  
Author's Notes: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm. She's quite a lot like the old Max, remember her?

A/N 2: The title is one of my favourite sayings. I read it somewhere and just loved the whole philosophy of it. 'You are only young once' is just so passé darling:P

It has been six months since the day of Freak Nation. Max is the leader while Alec is the man in the background holding it all together. Oh before I forget this is AU. Biggs is alive and … well… kicking:D

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**Chapter 1 - _Another Day in Paradise?_**

**_Location: TC - Meeting Room 0800_**

"Ok people, this will be a short meeting as we have been through all this yesterday morning. As you all know yesterday's heist didn't go as well as we had hoped it would. We did get our hands on the latest state of the art computer system we could. So now our intel is going to be better than ever. That being said we still need the money people. Good news is that according to the new information Dix gathered a little Breaking and Entering is on the cards tonight." Said Max with a little smile playing on her lips. "Bad news for me is that it'll be me and Alec going to the B & E tonight." She finished off with a sneer tugging at her lips.

"No." whispered Alec.

"The buyer is already lined up and the cash will last us at least three months." Said Max as she hadn't heard Alec.

"No" said Alec, this time making sure he was heard and looked Max square in the eyes.

"Alec this is not up for discussion. It's all set and you ARE going." Max replied going straight back to rummaging through the sheaf of papers she had in her hands.

"No."

"What?" Max left the papers on the desk as she looked at Alec properly for the first time since the meeting had begun.

"Like I said, no." replied Alec with unmistaken determination in his voice.

"Alec, I don't have time for this. We're going and that's that."

"No, WE are not going anywhere."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you know any other word apart from no? Don't play hard to get Alec, for one it doesn't suit you and two we ALL know that has never been your style." Max had finally lost her temper.

"Ouch." whispered Biggs.

Alec kept looking at Max with an eerie calmness but didn't say a word.

"I asked you a question Alec! What do you mean NO !" said Max her eyes aflame with anger.

"Just that. No." he replied finally. "I wont be coming tonight with you. No, as in a negative, as in the opposite of yes." he went on with the same calm tone.

Everybody at the meeting looking from one to the other as if watching a tennis match, knowing something was very wrong. It wasn't that they never argued, because they did. ALL the time but it had never been like this. Alec had never been this composed before, never this detached and this was making their stomach's quiver with anticipation and dread.

"Alec I don't give a fuck about who you were planning on screwing tonight, it just won't be happening! What WILL be happening is that you WILL be coming with me tonight and WE will pull that job. I think I have made myself very clear even by your standards." Max finished off with her hands on either side of her hips.

Biggs could see a flash of anger and hurt in his friend's eyes before it was replaced with a mask. He had to blink his eyes to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. Stood before him was X5-494, his former CO, the man with the nerves of steel and eyes so icily grey that it had always given him goose bumps, of course there was no way in hell he would ever admit this willingly. He looked at Max to see if she had noticed the change but realised she was too pissed off that she wouldn't even realise it even if White were to come in and offer to make her a cup of coffee, let alone see Alec's transformation.

"YOU have made yourself perfectly clear Max, but I can see that I haven't so let me ENLIGHTEN you" Alec said without a hint of emotion in his voice or face for that matter.

"I will NOT be joining in with the mission tonight." Continued Alec and to the untrained he would have looked calm but his boy language told a different story to everybody. His back was straight; his shoulders were held back perfectly square. His arms were by his side, flexed. His knuckles were completely white with restrained aggression.

Now that Biggs had looked at Max he couldn't see much of a difference between their body language. The only difference was that Max had to raise her head to look up at Alec, which gave her a defiant air. This also lessened the effect of Alec's body becoming imposing over Max's smaller frame.

They hadn't even blinked. If any one of the transgenics had been to a 'normal' school they would have realised that it was like a staring match. Superficially a staring match is harmless fun to kill time. But on a subliminal level it is not hard to see two people's fight to have control over the other one.

When he realised that Max was not going to interrupt him Alec continued:

"I'm leaving Terminal City at 2300 tonight. I am not planning on returning. I have made all the arrangements for my transport. I have also gathered $20,000,000 for TC's disposal. The money is in the safe at this minute. I've been training Biggs for the last month so that he can take over my position once I have left. Before you give him a hard time about it, I never told him of my plans to leave. I have things to do before my departure so i'll see you all later." With that Alec left the meeting room leaving a bedazzled audience behind him.

There was silence. It was one of those silences where you could expect to hear the crickets chirp from miles away.

Everybody was shocked at the turn of events that had unfolded right before their eyes. Not a single word had been uttered within the crowd. Mole looked as if he had just swallowed one of his infamous cigars. Biggs didn't know whether to feel proud that Alec had chosen him or hurt that he had never told him of his intentions. Max, for once in her life could not think of something to say. Deep down she was waiting for Alec to say this was all a joke.

Finally Storm broke the silence.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say 'Huh?'"

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	2. Who is Lizzie Puff the Magic Dragon?

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way:D  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec leaves Seattle. How will everyone react, especially Max?  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm.

A/N: This is AU as Biggs is alive and well kicking!

A/N 2: It may seem like i'm making Max out to be the devil at first but please just bear with me.

A/N 3: Please Read and Review

Mood Music: Linkin Park 'Crawling', The Rasmus 'In The Shadows'

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**Chapter 2 - _Who is Lizzie Puff The Magic Dragon?_**

**_Location: TC - Kitchen 1100_**

Storm had dragged Alec by the cuff of his shirt into the first available room which had been the kitchen. Alec had been skirting around the issue for a while and Storm just kept on asking the same question.

"Why?" 

"I need to leave."

"But why?" 

"I just have to."

"You don't HAVE to do anything."

"Storm please don't make this any harder than it already is."

"Look i've been trying to track you down since your 'stunning' speech this morning so just spit it out already!"

"Just let it go Storm." 

"I can't ok! i just can't! I can't just watch you leave and do nothing! Do you have any idea what this is gonna do to J? How are we gonna explain that his medium fella just upped and left!" 

"If it is any consolation i think he already knows." Alec said dejectedly with his hands in his pockets leaning against the work surface.

"How on Earth can he know? Everybody is stumped! Why now? After all you have done and accomplished why leave now! You can't do this to us! Oh forget about _us_, you can't do this to yourself!"

"That's exactly who I am doing it for! For ME!"

Storm looked at him perplexed. 

"I can't keep on doing this. I have to leave before I lose myself. I'm losing my essence. I feel it draining away. You must have noticed it. It's killing me to be here sweetheart. To be so close but kept so far. I have done everything i can possibly think of to make her see how far I've come. I can't do it any more. I'm beginning to hate her and that's not fair. I just need to put some distance between myself and this ... situation." As he talked Alec walked around the kitchen aimlessly, just picking up utensils and then putting them down again.

"But.."

"I know it's nothing new. It's been like this even before you came but it's beginning to affect my judgment as a soldier too Storm. That's what I can't handle now. I can live with un-requited love but..." He paused "Remember the op we had to run to pick up those x8's a month ago?"

"Yeah, I remember. It was successful wasn't it?"

Alec smiled bitterly.

"Depends on your definition of 'successful' I guess." Once again he met her questioning eyes. "What all of you outside the op don't know is that we nearly lost the whole team just because I panicked. _Me_ who was top dog at Manticore panicked during a simple retrieval op." He said pointing at himself with his index finger.

"It was her job to help Mat detonate the bomb. Mat got caught by a stray bullet. All I heard on the headset was 'Man down!'. I ... i thought it was her Storm." He looked up at Storm with his eyes aflame at the pain that was resurfacing. "I thought it was her. I lost it. I jumped out the van and blurred over to their location without giving a second thought to all those soldiers under my command. I put their lives in jeopardy and for what! NOTHING! There has always been nothing between us and that is how it will stay!" He paused and re-collected himself. "I know that. I have finally accepted that too. Lucky for me I didn't pay such a big price to finally come to terms with it. Mole took over and gave the necessary intel to the rest while I just stood there watching her in the shadows. She was covered in his blood. She had come to the aid of her fallen comrade. She was doing her job. I couldn't do anything but watch. I don't know why that particular scene affected me so much. It's not like it was anything new. There is always blood. We always end up covered in it. The smell, the colour, the way it feels on our skin. How warm it feels as it drains away from a body and makes it cold. It was a pretty normal day by our standards right? It shouldn't have bothered me, but it did. It made me see so many things. Things like how that could very easily have been her. Do you know what I would have done if it had been her? I would have gone and killed the person who had pulled the trigger. I would have gone and screwed up the mission and let those kids die. The thing is I would still do it now." He looked at her with a grim expression on his face. "I would still make the same choice now."

"But you love her."

"I can't let that be everything that I am. I can't let that define me as Alec. I can't let that determine my actions. Our kind depend on me Storm, you know that. We ALL depend on each other. I can't screw things up just because of this. This is the _one_ thing that I'm actually good at. I can't let these feelings ruin the bigger picture for us. If I lose that then I'll just die inside. I need to leave. I'll still be a part of this. You know I will. I'll just do it from another place. I'll find new contacts. I'll meet new people who may feel charitable." He added with a wink which got a small smile from Storm. He continued more seriously. "I need to be me again. I need to let go and start my life again. I'll die inside if I stay and make a wrong decision. I need to know you understand me."

"I understand. I just don't want you to be all alone out there. I don't want you to get used to that feeling of loneliness while you go and act out the martyr. " replied Storm begrudgingly. 

"Don't worry I have no wish to act the hero and ride off into the sunset on my motorbike and wait it out till my princess is ready." he said with a smile playing upon his lips.

"No I wouldn't dream of it. Even _you_ are not that much of a masochist."

"I'll see how things are and once i'm settled then if you like you and Biggs could come too?"

"What and leave Her Royal Highness Max and Lizzie Puff the Magic Dragon? How could you ask me such a thing?" Storm asked sarcastically. 

"Oh i'm gonna miss you." Alec drawled while he pulled her to him and hugged her.

"Easy there tiger my time spent in the tank was long ago, I still need to take regular breaths!"

TBC 

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	3. Choooo Chooooo?

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way!  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec leaves Seattle. How will everyone react, especially Max?  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm.

A/N: This is AU as Biggs is alive and well kicking!

A/N 2: It may seem like i'm making Max out to be the devil at first but please just bear with me.

A/N 3: Please Read and Review

Mood Music: Default 'Wasting my Time' 

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**Chapter 3 - _Choooo Choooo?_**

**_Location: TC - Outside Command Centre 1500_**

"Alec."

"Not now Max" Alec said off-handedly.

"Alec stop. We need to talk."

"I _said_ not now. We'll talk when I get back." said Alec as he walked towards his parked motorbike.

"No. We need to talk now." Max said looking at him sternly.

"Now isn't convenient for me Max. I have to be somewhere else."

"Somewhere else seems to have become a permanent fixture in your life nowadays Alec. What TC isn't good enough for you anymore?" Max asked spitefully. She was met with a tired look from Alec.

"Grow up Max. I don't have the time for this useless word play. I'll be back soon. I'm sure you'll use this time valuably in finding more insults to throw my way." with that he jumped on his bike and sped off towards the gates leaving a fuming Max behind.

After looking at his disappearing form a little while Max turned back and started walking through HQ in order to get to her office. As she walked a group of transgenics parted aside to let her through as she approached them like a runaway train.

"Choo choo! There goes Thomas The Tank Engine. Can you see the smoke coming out of her ears!" chuckled Mole as they all heard her slam the door closed.

"I don't think a crowd would ever have parted that fast even for dear old Tom. For one thing they never had the threat of knowing that Tom knew ALL the right pressure points in a body to make someone suffer excruciating pain for hours on end!" Biggs stated with a knowing look on his face.

**_A few hours later_**

Location: TC - Joshua's Place 2000

"Hey Josh."

"Hey Medium Fella."

"I got you some art supplies." Alec said as he hauled a big box into Joshua's living room.

"Alec made Joshua very happy."

"Josh before I forget, I arranged it so that they'll get a box like this ready for you every couple of months. All you have to do is ask Max or Storm to go and pick it up for you ok?"

"More boxes for Joshua?" asked Joshua as he lifted up his head from the box which he had been going through, excitement lighting up his eyes.

"Sure. You gotta win me that bet. I'm counting on you to paint Joshua No.1000 by the end of the year or else Mole is gonna make me polish all his guns!" Alec said with a look or terror.

"Then Joshua wont paint."

"Why not Josh?" Alec looked at him quirking up his eyebrows.

"So Medium Fella will come to polish."

"Come on big guy, I'll see you soon. I'll still be around."

"Joshua knows but doesn't like. Alec doesn't like either."

"No, I don't."

"But it's good for Alec's mind. Alec needs peace." Joshua stated as he pointed at Alec's temple "Here."

"I knew you'd understand Josh."

"Little fella will too."

"That's where you're wrong. She's waiting to tell me off just as we speak."

"That's whack." said Joshua with a low growl.

"You said it!"

"Joshua said it." Said Joshua with a proud smile on his face making Alec quirk his lips into a genuine smile.

"I should go. You take care ok? I'm only a phone call away. Whenever you need me give me a call and I'll be here."

"Will Alec be here for little fella?"

With that Joshua had asked the jackpoint question. _Would he?_

"Max doesn't need me Josh." Alec said evenly. Only the the slight crease on his forehead giving away the fact that it hurt him to say this.

"Little fella needs Alec as much as Alec needs little fella." Joshua told Alec patting him awkwardly on the arm.

"Things change big guy, or they soon will. They need to." Alec replied quietly as he walked out of the front door leaving Joshua behind him.

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	4. How to make Maxie mad

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec leaves Seattle. How will everyone react, especially Max?  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm.

A/N: This is AU as Biggs is alive and well kicking!

A/N 2: It may seem like i'm making Max out to be the devil at first but please just bear with me.

A/N 3: Please Read and Review

Mood Music: Matchbox20 'Disease'

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**Chapter 4 - _How to Make Maxie Mad_**

**_Location: TC - Outside Max's Office 2100_**

It was time to go and face the music. After leaving Joshua's place Alec started making his way back to HQ. He wasn't looking forward to his little talk with Max. That's exactly how he wanted it to be: a _little_ talk. If he played his cards right he'd have her telling him exactly what he needed to hear. If he was being honest with himself it wouldn't take much work for him to hear it.

He was finally in front of her door. He took a deep breath and went in straight away without even knocking. There was no point in knocking as the second anyone's hand connected with the door to knock the door opened all by itself. This was due to all those many times Max slammed it and took a little of her aggression out on it.

She was sitting behind her desk on her chair. The desk was covered with papers. Most of them were lists of things TC needed like, food, water, clothes. They were trying to become more self-sufficient but due to the location of Terminal City it just wasn't happening. The soil was too toxic to grow crops in and the nearest water source had a very green glow to it. The rest of the papers were correspondence between the authorities and them. Max had to go through them one by one in detail to make sure they were not an attempt to trick them into accepting terms they did not agree on. She was also looking for any loopholes which could make their lives easier.

Right now she wasn't doing any of that.

She was looking right at Alec and she looked calm. This was bad. Cool and collected Max equalled trouble. This Max would be looking for answers which Alec did not want to give. This would make Alec's task of hearing those words extremely difficult.

"Max" he greeted her.

"Alec" she said back.

"So..." he said taking one of the seats in front of her desk.

"So we have to talk." Max stated slowly punctuating each word.

"About what?"

"You know what Alec." She stated calmly. She had been preparing for this meeting all day as she didn't want to lose her temper during its course but she could already feel the tell tale signs of her anger rising.

"Actually I don't, if I had I wouldn't ask."

"You're leaving."

"That's very perceptive of you. Yes I am."

"Alec stop it." 

"Stop what?" Alec knew exactly what she meant and knew she was trying very hard not to loose her rag.

"This!" she told him exasperatedly waving her hands in front her.

"What? Could you be a little more specific this time?" he continued on with his act.

"Ok fine." She took a deep breath in an effort to calm herself down. "We have to talk about the fact that you are leaving."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"Of course there is." Max said raising her voice a little as she got more and more agitated by the second.

"No there isn't."

"You can't just leave Alec." she had one hand on her temple massaging it desperately.

"Sure I can. It's like this Max: I've decided to leave and I'm leaving. It's pretty simple really." he stated with a flick of his shoulders.

"It's not that simple!" she shouted as she sprang up from her chair which toppled backwards and fell with a loud thud. He had finally driven her over the edge.

"It is. I really don't understand why you are making such a big deal out of this."

"Because it is! You can't just leave when you want to! People depend on you and you are just going to leave because you want to! Just because you are bored? What happened Alec? Ran out of women to screw huh?" she said icily looking down at him literally and metaphorically.

'The Bitch' was back. And for once Alec was glad as this Max he knew how to handle due a lot of practice over the many months.

"What can I say Max, variety is the spice of life." he said quirking up his eyebrows whilst grinning his infamous 'Casanova grin'.

"This is exactly what I expected of you!"

"That's why I said it." he mumbled. "Look I thought you'd be pleased that i'm leaving. Me, Alec, the constant thorn up your a... erm ...eye? The one who always screws up things for you. The one person you can never depend on, gone. Out of your life for good." saying all these things was killing him. A part of him desperately wanted her to deny all this but he knew that the day that happened would be the day that hell froze over and Satan offered him a pair of skates to skate over it.

"You'll still find other ways to screw up my life from afar. I have faith in you on that front. I wouldn't expect anything less." Max stated her features contorted into an expression of loathing which made Alec's heart skip a beat.

His throat felt so dry. This was torture. Compared to this psi-ops was a walk in the park. He swallowed down the bile rising to his throat and using sheer will power he kept the indifferent expression on his face as he said:

"Wow isn't that just nice Maxie. See I told you you would put the time I left you into good use."

"Don't you dare call me Maxie!"

"Why? 'cause my psycho of a brother called you that! You know the one you took care of in the woods. And Max I'd like to point out the fact that I use the words 'took care of' very loosely." he said making quotation marks up in the air with his index fingers.

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!"

"And here I thought I'd be hearing new insults and retorts. Aww shucks. I guess the old 'shut up' was just too good for you to pass up huh?"

"You know what fine! Just go! Get the hell out of here. Just know this I will no longer have your back. I can't speak for anyone else but with me you are on your own. From now on if you get yourself into a mess YOU get yourself out it!"

Alec looked at her as if he had just been slapped. He slowly rose from the chair he was sitting on.

"When did you ever have my back without ulterior motives! It's nothing new and therefore nothing I'm not used to already. So if you think that's some kinda threat you couldn't be more wrong sweetheart." he told her his eyes aflame

"Didn't you hear me! GET OUT! GET THE HELL OUT OF TC AND DON'T COME BACK! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN!"

"Like always, your wish is my command Max." He said in an incredibly gentle voice compared to what he had just been told. His mission was accomplished. She had told him exactly what he had wanted to hear. This way he had made sure he wouldn't have second thoughts about leaving.

"Bye Maxie." He said to her, more to hear it himself then for her and with that he turned around and walked out of the door leaving a very frustrated Max behind.

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	5. Who slapped Snow White?

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec leaves Seattle. How will everyone react, especially Max?  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm.

A/N: This is AU as Biggs is alive and well kicking!

A/N 2: It may seem like i'm making Max out to be the devil at first but please just bear with me.

A/N 3: Please Read and Review

Mood Music: Kristian Leontiou 'The Story of My Life' Read Author's Note at the end of the chapter for more info. 

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**Chapter 5 - _Who Slapped Snow White?_**

6 MONTHS LATER

_Location: TC - Max's Office 1500_

"Who the hell do you think you are? All pure and selfless Snow White! Just to make it all clear to you Princess, we aren't your damn dwarfs! And Manticore isn't the evil Queen! This isn't some fairytale alright! Look around you no-one has had the best time growing up! But we've all learned to cope. Yes, I will always owe you for getting us out of that hellhole but that doesn't mean I'll be at your back and call all the time. I will tell you when I don't think you are doing something right or when you are behaving like a spoilt little girl who has never had somebody say no to her. If you don't like that… well tough!" Storm shouted with one hand clenched into a fist by her side in an attempt to control her anger.

She had just flipped during one of their many meetings when Alec's name had come up and Max had made a snide comment about his lack of presence. She knew that as soldiers they had to show leadership towards Max so she had kept the lid on her anger till the end of the meeting. The second they were out of the door she had told Max that they needed to talk. When it came to these two women the crowd knew that the word talk was code word for "we're-going-to-shout-at-each-other-till-we-are-both-blue-in-the-face".

The first month after Alec had left there had been a lot of these 'talks' between Max and Storm, but as the months had passed they had declined in number. To the general shock of the public the 'talks' had turned out to be extremely valuable. Storm and Max had actually begun to form a strong relationship with one another. Their friendship was based on honesty. Storm had never been one for tactfulness; she had always said what she felt. Max had been no exception to this. At first Max had hated Storm for this but then she came to rely on it. She was so sick and tired of people walking on eggshells with her; Storm's attitude had come as a breath of fresh air. She had come to value it and depend on it.

Storm had hated the way Max held herself apart from the rest. She had always thought this was because Max thought she was better than the rest because she was an 09'er. During one of their arguments Max had made a slip and had ended up hinting that compared to the other Manticoreans she felt inadequate as she was lacking 10 years worth of training. Storm had been shocked at this admission but as she ran over certain incidents in her mind she had realised that this could infact be true. Having realised the problem Storm had offered to train Max in the things she had missed out on, on the condition that she became "less of a bitch" and quit moaning so much. To her surprise Max had started to laugh and told her that she'd try.

Nowadays there was only one subject that they argued about.

"I can't believe you have the audacity to keep on complaining about Alec taking off the way he did! What did you expect the guy to do! Since we came here and formed TC all you did was give him crap and tell him that he wasn't worth the oxygen he consumed nor the barely palatable stuff you call food he ate!" her grey eyes were becoming nearly black as her iris got larger and larger the more angrier she got.

"Storm that's enough" Biggs said as he walked into the room. He had heard their shouts all the way from his office which had once belonged to Alec. Due to the temper of Max, Alec had chosen to take up a room which was as far away from hers as possible.

"Little Miss Moan-a-lot needs to hear this Biggs and if you dare to stop me I will kick your ass from here to where Alec is right now and knowing him you know you will just get shot the second you arrive at your destination!" shouted Storm her eyes aflame.

"What the hell did they put in the x-5 females genes! I'd rather take that chick on from Terminator 3 then any one of you!"

With that a set of brown eyes and a set of grey eyes looked at him and if the phrase 'if looks could kill' was true Biggs knew he would have already been cremated by now. _Oh shit_ he thought. He realised that the best thing would be to leave them to it and let them sort it out once and for all.

"Ermm …. You know I think I just heard Dix call me. So anyways I should be off on my merry way now. Hi ho, hi ho off to HQ I go."

At the intake of Max's breath Biggs realised what he said. "Hey Max easy now. It's just a figure of speech nothing to do with Snow White. Oh man you're gonna hit me aren't you!"

SMACK!

"Ouch! Fine! I'm gone. I'll send the clean up crew in an hour or so to wash the blood off from the walls"

Biggs just about dodged the stool that was thrown at him and closed the door as he ran out.

"Man I should have come with a zipper or something, it would have been so much better for my health and my life expectancy years!" he drawled as he tried to put as much distance as he could between him and the room.

Once Biggs had left the tension in the room went up a few notches. Both female transgenics were standing as far apart as the room would allow without breaking eye contact.

"Are you done?" asked Max her features all tense.

"Not quite."

"Feel free to pick up where you left off but I think now is my turn." Max stated making the sentence sound more like a challenge then a simple statement.

"He left Storm! He just upped and left! He left us just like that! It wasn't even that difficult for him. He knew how much he was needed here but still he left. You can't make me forget that."

"He just left Seattle Max! God, give the guy a break for once! He is at a different location but he is a part of us. He is still completely devoted to the cause. Think about all those transgenics he gathered up and sent over to us. Think about all the new contacts he made. "

"We had contacts!"

"The terms had never been this good and you know it!"

"Fine! What about everyone he left behind? Huh? What about Josh?"

"Max the only person who has not come into terms with this is you. Josh understands, Biggs understands, I understand. Hell, even Mole understands! It's quite ironic really."

"What's ironic?" asked Max looking puzzled.

"The one person who pushed him away is the one person who is still troubled by his lack of presence."

"I didn't make him go away. He wanted to leave so he left!"

"What the hell did you want the guy to do! You never did anything but give him hell! He did what anyone in his position would have done ages ago!"

"Why now? If he should have left ages ago why now!"

"Have you never heard of the saying 'the straw that broke the camel's back'?. You pushed him too far. You pushed him away. You pushed him away from all he knows! Everyone he cares about and everyone who cares about him! Everything else i can forgive you for but never EVER about the way you have treated him!"

"He deserved it! He lost me the cure. He lost me Logan!"

"Oh my God! Are you still there! That was months ago! Lets be serious here Max if it was gonna work it would have worked cure or no cure. You loved him so much you would have found another way. Life isn't all black and white Princess, it has shades of grey in it too."

"I tried! He was the only person who could do it! Don't you dare tell me I didn't try."

"You tried huh? Then answer this: how come you never asked any of us for help? Huh? Some of us were actually trained specifically for engineering viruses."

"What?" Max looked at Storm knocked back for six.

"You heard me. It was probably one of us who actually put the final touches to your little virus."

"WHY DIDN'T ANYONE EVER TELL ME!"

"'Cos you never asked!"

"I never knew I could!"

"Max you never spent time with any one of us!" she took a deep breath and tried to reason with Max. "It was Alec who did it all. He was the one who united us all. He was the one who spent endless nights coming and talking to us one by one. You were the one people were scared of. Alec was the one we respected. We came to respect you too in the end but it never would have happened if it had not been for Alec vouching for you. Why do you think everyone gave you the cold shoulder when Alec left?" 

"I thought you were challenging my authority." replied Max in a hushed tone.

"We could never do that. Max you are alpha we could never challenge your orders. Only Alec can. Alec is alpha male. He is top at the chain of command. Even if Alec had not vouched for you we would still have done whatever you requested but none of us would ever have spoken to you on a personal level. Everyone was still weary of you. You cannot imagine the punishment we were put through when you guys escaped. It was twice as bad for the twins, especially Alec. Manticore realised he was gonna be top dog from an early age and couldn't risk anything going wrong with him. So when we saw Alec being nice to you and talking to you, we did too."

Storm was actually quite surprised that Max had never realised any of this before.

"When he left everyone knew it was because of you and hated you for it. Some still do. You took their C.O. away from them."

"I didn't take him away from anyone."

"Max, tell me honestly now why do you think he left?"

"Because he got bored here."

SMACK!

"What the hell Storm!" asked a shocked Max holding her crimson cheek with her hand. She was too surprised to even think of to retaliate.

"Look honey, someone needs to knock some sense into you and wouldn't ya know it, that someone's gonna be me" Storm replied with her hands on either side of her hips. Deep down Storm was thanking whoever was up there that that Max hadn't decided to strike her back. The transgenic in question was looking at her with an incredulous stare.

"You slapped me." stated Max still gulping like a fish.

"Yeah I noticed that too."

"You actually slapped me."

"Yes I slapped you. You deserved it. Hopefully the little contact between your cheek and my hand has done its trick. Can we move on now?" Storm asked Max with a butter wouldn't melt in her mouth smile.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

A/N :

"Story Of My Life" by Kristian Leontiou

You say it was like this  
I was torn between 2 worlds  
One full of promise  
And the truth I knew would hurt  
You say I'm no angel  
Tryin to put the past behind

So now I try to find  
A place to leave all  
Memories in my mind  
We try, our lives away  
Then stumble into the grave  
We cry, and still they stay  
The past won't go away  
The story of my life

See I was just thinkin  
Now my life is on the road  
The straight and the narrow  
On the route that I've been showed  
You know its not easy  
To try to change your ways


	6. Why is there talk about mashy peas?

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec leaves Seattle. How will everyone react, especially Max?  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm.

A/N: This is AU as Biggs is alive and well kicking!

A/N 2: It may seem like I'm making Max out to be the devil at first but please just bear with me.

A/N 3: Please Read and Review

Mood Music: Puddle of Mudd 'Blurry', Linkin Park 'Easier to Run'

This is for the one who never took the chance and will never know...

Don't let metaphors get in the way...

Anyways, hope you guys like this one. To be honest i'm not sure about it. / 

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**Chapter 6 - _Why is there talk about mushy peas?_**

_Location: TC - Max's Office_

"So let's try this again; why do you think Alec left?"

"Because he wanted to move on to greener pastures?"

Just as Storm's hand was about to make itself re-acquainted with Max's cheek, it was met by Max's hand.

"Just 'cos you did it once don't think you can do it again."

"Then don't tempt me."

"Fine. I don't know why he left Storm. I just don't know."

"Of course you know. You just don't want to acknowledge it. What I want to know is why?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"So you wanna play it like that huh? Ok fine. We will come back to this question later. Lets try this one. Why are you still hanging on to Logan? After all this time do you really think it would work?"

"Of course it will!"

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes!"

"Then why on Earth haven't you still dragged me by the arm across the Command Centre threatening to splice me and dice me and then give my remains to scientists to further their research on us, unless I didn't show you a transgenic who could make you the cure? Huh, tell me that!"

To that Max had no reply. She had just turned crimson with embarrassment and couldn't look Storm in the eye.

"Wanna know why I think that is? It's because you are too scared to admit that you might be wrong."

"No! That's not it. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me. Give me a chance."

"Look I just don't want to be a quitter 09'er again alright? That's what you all think of me so if I were to leave Logan that's what you would all say. Contrary to popular belief I don't just run when things get tough!"

Storm couldn't believe her ears. She couldn't fathom that Max's reasoning could have been so simple. She had come up with a lot of ideas to why Max couldn't just let go yet she had never thought it could be because she just didn't want to give up.

"That's why you are not breaking it off with Logan?" 

"Not just that. I love him too. He's had my back all this time."

"I know that hon, but I can say the same thing about my .45. I love it and it's kept me safe all this time, but I sure as hell don't love it the way I love Biggs. There are many kinds of love Max. What you have to ask yourself is what kind of love you have for Logan. Do you love him like a man or like a friend? Or are you just keeping him close because you feel like you owe him?"

"I ..."

**_Meanwhile at a city far away:_**

Location: Blue Moon Bar

Alec had been swirling the amber liquid around his glass for a while and just staring at it taking the shape of its surroundings. The way the whisky easily filled the space with grace as he continued to twirl the glass had him captivated. It was adapting to its surroundings with an ease that was making Alec wish that it could have been the same way for him. He was sitting on a stool by the bar with his back towards the crowd. He was in his own little world. With each month that had passed he thought he would have been a step nearer to getting over her. That had not happened. In fact it had been quite the opposite. With each passing month he had missed her more. Every little thing had a habit of making him think about her. He'd be having a 'Max-free' moment and then the breeze would hit him and bring with it a whiff of a smell: a vanilla doughnut. Most people would just get a craving but not Alec. Alec wasn't that lucky. Alec would remember the way Max liked to eat her doughnut. The way she would lick the vanilla icing off from the sides and leave most of it for her final bite. The most glorious sight where she would sigh with contentment afterwards. That's what Alec remembered.

**Alec's POV **

Has it ever happened to you when you just know you are falling for the wrong person? You try to do everything in your power not to, but call it karma call kismet or even fate, you realise you're already fallen way too far. It's too late and it's way too deep.

Wrong can be in many senses. Like they just happen to be one of your closest friends. The one person, who however much they deny it, is the one who just "gets" you. The one person you don't even have to connect with verbally, where just a slight shake of the shoulder or the raise of an eyebrow is enough for you to know how they feel. The one person who has no intention of making you as important to them as they are to you.

Or just wrong as in they might actually be bad for you. For example characteristically they drag you down, make you feel blue. Their presence in your mind making you act like a different person. Where when you look in the mirror you no longer recognise yourself and the person you have become. And deep down you know it isn't right but you feel like as if you have a duty to be the person they want you to be. And slowly by slowly you make yourself believe that this is the person you are and this is the best you are gonna get.

Oh great, I'm doing it again: I'm having conversations with myself. Isn't this supposed to be the first sign of madness? I guess the madness is when you actually expect an answer to your unstated question. No, madness is when you do exactly the same thing but expect different results each time. I know a thing or two about that.

**End of Alec's POV **

With a grimace he drained his glass of what was left of his drink and looked longingly at the bottle behind the bar.

"Barkeep. I'd like another one of those." While the barman was re-filling his glass a pre-pulse song started to play from the jukebox.

_Everything's so blurry  
and everyone's so fake  
and everybody's empty  
and everything is so messed up  
pre-occupied without you  
I cannot live at all  
My whole world surrounds you  
I stumble then I crawl_

You could be my someone  
you could be my scene  
you know that i'll protect you  
from all of the obscene  
I wonder what you're doing  
imagine where you are  
there's oceans in between us  
but that's not very far

Can you take it all away  
well ya shoved it in my face  
this pain you gave to me  
Can you take it all away

Everyone is changing  
there's no-one left that's real  
to make up your own ending  
and let me know just how you feel  
cause I am lost without you  
I cannot live at all  
my whole world surrounds you  
I stumble then I crawl

You could be my someone  
you could be my scene  
you know that I will save you  
from all of the unclean  
I wonder what you're doing  
I wonder where you are  
There's oceans in between us  
but that's not very far

Nobody told me what you thought  
nobody told me what to say  
everyone showed you where to turn  
told you when to runaway  
nobody told you where to hide  
nobody told you what to say  
everyone showed you where to turn  
showed you when to runaway

This pain you gave to me

You take it all  
You take it all away...

"Just my luck! I mean what were the chances of me actually hearing Gloria Gaynor belt out 'I Will Survive'? Zilch!" Alec told the barman who had started to polish some glasses with a dish cloth.

"Look mate, whatever song came on you would have thought of her. If that guy had been singing 'Little Bo Peep Lost Her Bleedin' Sheep' you would have thought of her."

"Oh man, you're telling me that it's that obvious!"

"Na, that's love innit? It makes our heads turn into mushy peas." said the barman.

"All the nutritional values gone?" asked Alec who was feeling a little worse for wear as this had been the 5th bar he had visited tonight.

"Just gooey mate, just gooey." With those words he had simplified something which had been discussed and philosophised by so many people for so many years. "So what's the name of the girly who broke your heart?"

"Max."

"That's a nice name for a gi... Oh. Never would have thought you sailed your boat up that creek and in this job you'd think I'd know."

"What?"

"I thought you was playing for Man-U and all this time you was playing for Manchester City."

"I'm not following you."

"Not that there is anything wrong with that mind you. I mean there was this lad from back home he was too, only his old man wasn't too happy about it."

"He was what?"

"Well, one of you lot innit."

"He was one of...? Oh God you know!"

"Yeah I know." The barman told him with pride. "It was hard to tell to be honest. I mean you are one of them ones who I'd never suspect innit? You blend in with the crowd. I mean you're a good looking lad. In a non-homosexual way of course."

"Just out of interest, one: what gave it away? And two: why aren't you calling the cops?"

"The boys in blue? Now why would I do that? I mean there is no law against what you are."

"Not yet there isn't." Alec said in a sombre tone.

"I have to admit it lad there is a lot of protestors against you."

"Ain't that the truth! So what gave me away? Can you see my barcode?" Alec asked as his hand went to his neck defensively.

"So that's how you lot recognise each other! The whole radar thing was just rubbish."

"Radar? What radar?"

"You know the 'gay-dar'?"

"Do I look happy to ya? Huh? Is this the face of a happy man? Do you think that thing has a chance of working on me!" Alec spit out as he stood up from his stool and leaned over the bar towards the barman.

"Bloody hell mate, calm down. I meant the other meaning. This lad Max really didn't treat you well did he?" said the barman tentatively as he took a step back.

"Lad?" It had all finally clicked for Alec. Unfortunately for the barman it had clicked right at the moment Alec had taken a sip of his whisky which was travelling through the air straight at the barman's face at that precise moment.

"Max is a girl!" Spluttered out Alec.

"Easy lad, easy. What is it you Yanks say? Say it, don't spray it!" The barman told Alec while he tried to wipe away the residue of the whisky which was proving to be futile as the cloth he had been using had been used to wipe away tomato juice previously. "Oh, the missus is gonna kill me when I get home."

**_Location: TC - Max's Office_**

"I... "

"You what Max?"

"Do we have to talk about this?"

"Yes, we do. The longer you leave it the harder it is. Trust me Max you will feel so much better once you've analysed your relationship with Logan and decided what you want to do about your future." 

"Maybe I don't want to feel better. Maybe I like the way things are right now."

"No you don't."

"Don't tell me what I feel or don't feel!"

"I'm just stating the obvious! YOU are not happy. If that was all then I would have been sad about your unhappiness but would have respected your decision and left you alone but you are making other people unhappy too."

"I'm not!"

"Logan is not happy Max. By stringing him along and making gooey eyes at him you are giving him hope, hope which you guys may not have."

"Logan will be fine Storm."

"What about Alec? Do you think he'll be fine too?"

"Alec IS fine. You are the one who keeps on telling me that he went away to be fine."

"Ok Max. I give up. It's your life." said Storm in a tired voice. As she was about to open the door and leave the room she heard Max whisper:

"I don't want him to die Storm."

Storm turned back and looked at Max who was staring at her hands.

"Logan wont die unless you touch him Max." Storm told her feeling as if they were going around in circles.

"No. Not Logan."

"Who then?"

Then the penny dropped for Storm.

"Alec?" Storm couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Max only nodded to correct her.

"But why would Alec die?"

"Because I care about him."

"What? You care about him? How can you say that? You drove the guy into exile Max!"

"But at least he's alive Storm." said Max with a soft smile on her lips and her eyes shining with unshed tears. "He's alive."

"I gotta sit down for this." said Storm. While she sat down Max heard her mumble "I didn't even slap her that hard."

-----------------------------------------

_**Location : TC Command Centre**_

"Biggs you're gonna wear a whole on the floor if you keep that up." 

Biggs had been pacing up and down the Command Centre with some papers in his hands.

"Do you think we should go and check out what's going on?" He asked his eyes darting towards the closed door.

"I don't hear any raised voices." replied Dix without turning his head away from the computer he was using.

"I know that's what scares me."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N 1: The track is 'Blurry' by Puddle of Mudd. It just seemed very fitting for Alec's mood.

A/N 2: It may not be as angsty as some of you would have liked but it's been 6 months since his departure so he is slightly more in charge of his feelings. But if you feel the need for more angst feel free to insert shameless plug here read 'The Man in the Mirror' or 'I Feel You' by, surprise surprise me! ; )

A/N 3: The barman is from England, London to be precise. It's where I'm from so under no circumstance was i making fun of Londoners. Oooh and the whole Man-U thing is like a saying between men which I've heard but to this day it still doesn't make completely sense to me, so I'm with Alec on this one! 

A/N 4: It feels kinda pointless to say this but I feel that I should. In regards to people's sexual orientation I agree fully with Oscar Wilde when he says 'You must do as your nature dictates'.


	7. Wow! Water Like Has NO Calories!

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way!  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec leaves Seattle. How will everyone react, especially Max?  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm.

A/N: This is AU as Biggs is alive and well kicking!

A/N 2: See I'm taking it easy on Max. I told you I would. ; )

A/N 3: Please Read and Review

Mood Music: Matchbox20 'If You're Gone', Evanescence 'Bring Me To Life', Toploader 'Achilles Heel'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
**Chapter 7 - _Wow! Water Like Has NO Calories! _**

_Location: TC - Max's Office_

"Ok now at the risk of sounding like i'm a few IQ points short of even being the author of _'Wow! Water Like Has NO Calories!'_ I need a re-run of what I've just heard. I'll re-cap and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong"

All she got from Max was a small nod of acceptance which at this point in time was more than good enough for Storm.

"One, you don't want Alec to die. Two, you care about him. Three, you believe that he will die because you care about him."

"Correct."

"Uh-huh. What I'm having a hard time comprehending is why Alec would die if you care."

"Because so far that has been the case of every time I cared about someone."

"Max, Zac's alive. He's actually leading a relatively normal life compared to the rest of us. They've accepted him like one of the family in the farm. Forget about them accepting him, he has accepted them. Remember what he did to those x-6's on surveillance? He beat them to a pulp just because they treaded on Bill's award wining pumpkins while they were trying to see if Zac was ok. He's happy. For once in his life he feels like he belongs which is something most of us still wish for."

"It only took a heart transplant and a bionic body for it to happen!" Max put in sarcastically.

"Yeah well no one ever said life was perfect. It doesn't matter how he got to that point. The only thing that matters is that he did and it worked out ok."

Storm looked at Max with her eyes pleading for her to understand. Max was sitting on the worn armchair opposite her with her legs tucked underneath her and her hands imply playing with the loose threads from the large rip on its arm.

"And Logan?"

"Logan's alive."

"He has to live with the risk of dying everyday."

"So do the rest of the population!"

"But not everyone has a genetically engineered virus created solely for the purpose of killing them."

"There is something you don't seem to be realising here."

"And what's that?" Max had lifted her head up and was gazing at Storm with her eyes daring her to tell her something she could relate to.

"It was his decision."

"To be infected? 'Cos call me crazy but I don't think so!" Max couldn't believe that was all Storm could come up with.

"No, that's not what I meant. It was his decision to be involved. He knew the risks of taking on Manticore, but he decided to take a chance and go for it. You didn't make him."

"But if it wasn't for me he wouldn't have known about Manticore and got involved."

"Max he's Eyes Only of course he would have come across it sooner or later. Give the guy some credit. Logan made the choice the same way Zac did. Zac decided to save his little sister's life. He did a very honourable thing. It just shows how much he loves you. To him there was no choice to make. It was an act of love. Don't you understand sweetie? There is no reason to blame yourself about all of this. And you can't keep on shutting people out because you blame yourself. It's not healthy. You have all these walls up and you won't let anyone in. Isn't it time to build bridges instead of walls? Aren't you getting lonely up in that castle Princess?"

"I'm not shutting everybody out. You're in, Joshua's in."

"You know what I mean Max."

"This is the way it has to be."

"Why?"

"It's safer."

"Safer for who?"

"I can't let him close to me."

"Max?"

"You think I feel guilty about Zac and Logan? It doesn't even compare to how guilty I feel about Ben."

Storm had no idea who Ben was but decided to let Max go at her own pace.

"I protected him the only way I could but he deserved so much more. He deserved a chance to be happy. I couldn't give him that."

Max was staring at the wall straight ahead of her. Storm realised that Max had slowly started to drift away mentally.

"It was so beautiful in the woods. There were trees and foliage all around us. There were so many tones of green that I had never seen before. Everything looked so fresh, so alive. It had rained so the soil was damp and there was mildew on the leaves. The smell of wet grass was intoxicating. I hadn't stopped to smell it for so long. It felt like time had slowed down to give us some peace. I couldn't even hear their footsteps on our trail anymore. It was so quiet. All that could be heard was droplets of water falling down on to little puddles on the soil or on the patches of grass. Ben was lying on the floor with his back leaning against me trying to gather some energy that his injury was ridding him of. He seemed to be taken in by the scenery as much as I had been. Even though he must have been in a lot of pain he managed to look so at ease and comfortable. I guess it was familiar territory for him. He looked at me and smiled and even though our situation was dire I couldn't help but smile back at him. That's when I knew what I had to do. We weren't gonna make it but I wouldn't let them hurt my brother again. He had been through so much already. I started to tell him about the good place like he'd asked me to. I inhaled his scent one last time and ..." Max paused and exhaled deeply before she went on. "It was over very quickly. I laid him down and looked at him before I left. There was still the hint of a smile on his face. I had never seen him look so peaceful before, not even when we were children. Then I ran. I just ran. It had started to rain again so I didn't know if it was the rain drops making my face wet or my tears. Now every time it rains I remember that day and the way he smiled. This town has a strange habit of making me remember him every day. Maybe that's why I don't want to leave it. I don't want to forget. I don't deserve to forget."

It was only when she'd stopped talking that she realised she had been crying. When she looked at Storm she saw that her eyes were tearful.

"Oh Max, I'm so sorry."

"I can't go through that again. It nearly broke me. At the time I couldn't imagine going through something worse but I can now Storm. It would be so much worse. I can't let anything happen to him. If I remove myself from the equation then nothing will. If me not seeing him ever again or him thinking I hate him is going to keep him safe and away from harm then so be it. Like you said it was Zac's decision to do what he did and it was Logan's decision to take the risk. Now it's my decision to make sure he's safe."

"At whatever the cost to you?"

"Yes. I don't care about me. I care about him. He's got so much ahead of him. He deserves it."

"Don't you think he deserves the chance to have a say in the matter?"

"In the perfect world, yes but as you know the world is far from perfect."

"Max he's an alpha he can take care of himself."

"No."

"But he loves y..."

"I WILL NOT BE HIS DEATH STORM! I'D RATHER DIE THAN BE HIS DEATH!"

"Ok."

"Promise me you wont tell him."

"Even though I really think you should?"

"Yes, even though you think I should. Please Storm?"

"Fine. I cross my genetically enhanced heart with my genetically enhanced arm and hope to die oh God forbid a normal death."

"Thank you." said Max with a smile and did something Storm would never imagined she would do. Max leaned over and gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before she left the room.

After getting over the initial shock of the revelations and the display of affection form Max, Storm also left Max's office and made her way towards the Command Centre in search of Biggs. She found him in his Office going through the filing cabinet. The second she set eyes on him her heart began to thump faster. She knew she was lucky to have him but she had never realised just how much till today.

Biggs felt her eyes on him and turned around to face her. As Storm got closer to him he realised that she had been crying. He gently touched he cheek with his hand and felt the moisture.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Can you just hold me for a little while?"

Biggs pulled her towards him and enveloped her with his arms while she held on to him. Max found them sitting on the couch with their arms around each other a quarter of an hour later. Seeing them together like that had made her heart constrict. She didn't want to disturb them so she went towards the pigeonholes situated in one corner of the Command Centre. The pigeonholes were used as a way to keep in touch with the many inhabitants of TC. Everyone had one and it was compulsory for them to check their own twice a day. When it had first been introduced by Alec it had been strictly used for TC stuff slowly by slowly it also started to be used for social stuff. In Mole's case social also included the time when a box of his un-smoked cigars had gone missing and the next day each transgenic had found the following note in their pigeonhole.

_If my cigars are not returned back to my desk  
within 6 hours I swear I'll sing 'Hit Me Baby  
One More Time' at the meeting tomorrow at 0800.  
You all remember what happened last time!_

Mole 

The last time Mole sang everyone had had a splitting headache that had lasted for three days. Some of the transgenics had even banged their heads repeatedly on the wall in an effort to lose consciousness so the pain would end. By the end of the day Mole's desk had been filled with cigar boxes, most of which still had their packaging.

On top of the rows of pigeonholes there was the giant Bulletin Board. It was used to make announcements to all the inhabitants of TC. It was there that Max stuck the note she had written. With that she looked around the place one last time as she grabbed her backpack and made her way towards her baby.

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	8. Godzilla Strikes!

Jade - DA- If Not Now When?

Title: If Not Now When?  
Author: Jade  
Rating: PG-13 I think a little bit of language  
Show: DA  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Pairing: M/A ALL the way:D  
Type: WIP  
Summary: Alec leaves Seattle. How will everyone react, especially Max?  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone apart from Storm.

A/N: This is AU as Biggs is alive and well kicking!

A/N 2: Please Read and Review

Mood Music: Staind "So Far Away"

This is my life  
Its not what it was before  
All these feelings I've shared  
And these are my dreams  
That I'd never lived before

Somebody shake me  
Cause I  
I must be sleeping

Now that we're here  
So Far Away  
All the struggle  
We thought was in vain  
All in the mistakes  
One life contained  
They all finally start to go away  
Now that we're here, So Far Away  
And I feel like I can face the day  
I can forgive  
I'm not ashamed  
To be the person that I am today

These are my words  
That I've never said before  
I think I'm doing okay  
And this is the smile  
That I've never shown before

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 8 - _Godzilla Strikes! _**

1 WEEK LATER

_Location : Outside Tavern Motel 0600_

Max had been riding around the country for a while now. She was taking advantage of the lack of a fuel shortage, some might say even to the extreme. She was prone to riding for at least 8 hours a day. Riding was like therapy to her, while she rode she could think things through. It calmed and relaxed her. It was just her and her baby against the big bad highway. 

After her talk with Storm the feelings she had been pushing down for many months had risen again. If anything they were stronger than before. She had been so tempted to call Alec and tell him to come back home. She knew that TC was his home as much as it was hers but she had made him go away and hadn't seen him for months. She hadn't even heard his voice. She wasn't sure how she'd react if she had heard his voice so she had left the room whenever he called in. Just knowing that he was at the end of the phone line was enough to make her stomach do somersaults. She knew that she had it bad, she just hadn't wanted anyone else to know it. Now that Storm knew all about it she didn't know what was going to happen. Storm wouldn't say anything but boy would she try to make sure that Max did.

The more she had thought about him the more she realised just how much she missed him. She had actually gone as far as dialling his number but she had pressed the little red button before the connection had gone through. That's when she had decided that the best thing to do would be to go away for a little while and think things through. For the sake of her sanity she had decided to leave her cell phone so she would be less likely to give into temptation and phone Alec. With that she had left and now was making the final checks on her Ninja before she began her trip home. Everything looked ok. The tyres could do with some air but she could do that at the next petrol station. As she wiped her hands to get rid of the grease with a scrap of dust sheet she smiled. She had finally decided on doing something she had wanted to do for so long. She had weighed it all up, thought of the pros and cons and in the end came to the decision that she was willing to face the cons when they came her way. Her only wish was that she wasn't too late.

She was making the final adjustments to her Ninja when she heard the voice of someone she hadn't heard for a while. As he talked she realised that his voice still gave her goosebumps.

**Meanwhile...  
_Location : TC Command Centre_**

"Max called in. She said that she'd be back soon." told Mat to a passing by Storm.

"Thank God!" said Storm with relief smiling at Biggs who was watching her for her reaction.

The note Max had left was still on the Bulletin Board. Storm had kept it as a reminder that Max _would_ indeed return.

Hi guys,  
I need to go away for a little while.  
I'm taking my baby with me. Will be  
back soon. I'll call in tomorrow morning.

Max

**_Location : Outside Tavern Motel 0605_**

"452 you look like crap. Not getting enough beauty sleep?" White asked as he walked out of the shadows.

"Awww i didn't know you cared Ames." replied Max sarcastically in an effort to cover up her surprise as she turned around to face him.

"I don't."

"Come now, you don't have to act coy we're between friends." She said as she looked around her at the three other familiars surrounding her.

"Friends?"

"Ooops, my mistake. Don't you just hate it when the wrong word rolls of your tongue? I was meant to say 'you don't need to act coy we're between fiends'." said Max distastefully.

"Oh 452, how your words wound me. Here I thought we were going to do this the easy way. You know, you screaming and begging me to stop hurting you. Hold on a second that is the hard way too. Well I guess to be perfectly correct there is only one way." said White saccharinely, which was damn right scary all by itself.

"Why don't we just cut to the chase and get this bitch started!" Max retorted with a defiant look at White.

"Eloquent as usual I see 452. But who am I to argue. Sure, lets." said White with a glint in his eye.

As Max went into fighting mode ready for combat, she felt a small prick at the side of her neck and then there was darkness.

---------------------------------------------------------------- 

She came to at the same place White and his goons had surprised her.

Max made a move to check her body for any damage. When she moved her hands she felt something in her right one. She held it up and found a crumpled piece of paper within it. All it said was,

I'LL BE BACK FOR IT

"For what? What are you gonna come back for White?" said Max into the empty courtyard.

She felt extremely nervous all of a sudden. _Why would White leave her once he had her? This was bad. This was very bad. _

**THE NEXT DAY **

**_Location : Terminal City HQ 1000_**

"Any news on Max?" Storm asked as she entered the Command Centre where Dix and Luke were on the computers while Mole and Biggs were poring over some old maps in hope of finding better routes they could take with motor vehicles.

"No Storm. She didn't call in today either." replied Dix.

"It's been three days guys. Why wont you let me get a team ready and go look for her?"

"She's just gone to blow off some steam and think things through. You know how she is. The stuff you told her wasn't the kind that the Needle would have fixed. Just give her a few more days."

"Yeah but she's been gone for 10 days Biggs. She called in every day the first week and we've heard nothing for the past three days."

"You don't think Princess can take care of herself!" Mole asked in an attempt to ruffle Storm's feathers.

"Of course she can! But what if something's happened."

"Is Little Stormy feeling responsible?" Mole asked.

"Shut it Godzilla! I have nothing to feel responsible about!"

"Ok hon' calm down. If she doesn't check in tomorrow morning either we'll get a team out looking for her ok?" asked Biggs as he gathered her up into his arms. He knew that Mole had hit the nail on the head, she was feeling responsible for Max's absence. Storm hadn't told him exactly just what the two of them talked about before Max had left but she had said that she may have pushed Max too much too soon.

"Uh-huh" came a muffled reply from underneath Biggs' arms.

"Do you think we should tell Alec?" asked Storm as she lifted up her head from Biggs' chest.

However before Biggs could reply to her question somebody else did.

"Tell Alec what?"

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A/N: Dum dum dum! insert evil laughter : P


End file.
